The US Department of Agriculture announced Friday it is working to fully fund food stamp benefits for November to comply with a federal court order, and the process should be completed later in the day.

Several states quickly pounced on the news, saying the money should start flowing to recipients in coming days.

The USDA’s guidance, posted on the agency’s website, is the latest step in a weekslong saga that has threatened vital food assistance for nearly 42 million Americans amid the federal government shutdown. A federal judge on Thursday directed the agency to provide full benefits, which the Trump administration quickly appealed.

The USDA told states last month that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, as food stamps are formally known, had run out of money so November’s benefits could not be distributed. The decision prompted two lawsuits, with two federal judges ruling that the agency must at least tap into emergency funds to provide partial benefits for this month or, at its discretion, use other revenue to fully fund November’s allotments.